POPPED IN, SOULED OUT | WET WET WET

I DON'T KNOW WHO THESE MEN ARE OR WHY THEY'RE STANDING LIKE THAT. I do not know who they are. Apparently they're very fancy and a big deal in britpop. Or they were, during the eighties. They look the way you'd assume the Nylons would from the way they sound but I have to assume they're nothing like the Nylons. They're probably all heterosexual. Some of them look like they called people slurs in high school. But people who look like dicks by today's standard may not have been dicks in the 80s- it's good to keep an open mind.

What points they lose for doing some acapella-looking bullshit they make up for with their evidently great naming skillz. Wet wet wet? That's a VERY solid name for a band. Popped in, souled out? I don't care for pop all the time but soullessness is always exciting. I have to assume they're not referring to the music genre. But then again it could mean they popped in (appeared) and souled out (sung soul). They perplex me. I don't know how I feel but I'm hoping that by the end of this album it will be “good”

Obvy I can't know which version of this album was the one this was first listed in reference to- but I'm doing all tracks rather than just the first 9 (as it was released on vinyl with nine, all else with 13.) yay more me rambling for you and yay more music for me. What a delightful life we lead.

OVERALL VERDICT:

This album is kind of the auditory equivalent of snow blindness?. stick with me, here. It's so glittery and shiny that it almost hurts. Not like, in an overproduced way, but in a airy, bright, icing sugar kind of way. They're so happy and optimistic it could be unbearable were you in the wrong (or right?) mood. All depends. Not all that sure I'll ever re-listen to it in full, but it has some fun tracks! And delightful vocals and synth. I cannot imagine what mood I'd have to be in to want to listen to it but hey it happens. It happens.

TRACK BY TRACK:

• 1.Wishing I was Lucky Is pleasantly synth poppy. I really truly dig it. I love how this guy sings. It's soulful and bouncy. There's really good vocal layering. It sounds very 80s in a way that I'm not sure is always a good thing- but I enjoy it. Because I have dubious taste. It feels like the kind of thing Flight Of The Conchords would use as inspiration. It's a groovy tune about something that was decidedly very commonplace in 1980s Britain. The Dire economic straits of 1989s Britain’s role in music usually makes me think more.. I don't know, Test Dept-y? But this is good too. This is very good.

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• 2. East Of The River has a title that probably means very different things depending on where in the world you live. I've always wanted to run a study on which side of rivers are rich people sides and which aren't. Just to see if there's anything there. This song isn't really about that. It's a peppy vapid love tune probably unless there's some britcontext I'm missing here. I like it though! It's so happy! Listen to those horns. Would a bad song have that much brass and synth? I don't think so. (And thus, the Johnquest reader learned how to instantly win Len B’s heart…)

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• 3. I Remember Is much less sad than the Happy Fits song of the same name, but that doesn't mean anything because I don't think these guys can make sad music. Downtrodden music? Sure. Wounded songs? You're looking at one. But I don't think they can make you sad. Even this one is more majestic than mournful. It's a testament to the grandeur of these music men’s suffering. It is not about a happy subject but it can put a smile on your face if you're deaf to lyrics or just want to be seen. Or if you just want to hear a song about better times. Or if you want to hear these guys suffer (their music isn't as bad as they look, I promise!).

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• 4. Angel Eyes (Home and Away) is another happy ditty. Sickly sweet. I think that'll probably be a throughline here. This one feels like proto-micheal bublé. I don't know how I feel about that. It's not unpleasant? But it's… well it's white guy 80s soul pop. I don't like, hate it? But I don't love it either. The leading vocals aren't back but it's the instrumentals and backing vocals that carry it. He also talks about himself like he's a car. It's kind of perplexing but I think I get what he's getting at I think. Probably.

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• 5.Sweet Little Mystery brings back the fun. And thank god it does. These boys have been mournful for far too long. This song is both hopeful in lyrics and in tone! Wow! They are so skilled. They're so happy. Listen to that synth go. Like fucking icing sugar. Light and airy, light and airy… good on you for trying to keep the relationship going, man. Good on you for de-tumbling. Stay on your feet and maybe you can repair things. Insert obligatory Great British Bump-Off reference here.

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• 6. I Don't Believe (Sonny’s Letter) opens in a way that made me think maybe I WAS right about them being a secret a capella group, but I was foiled again. A shame, truly. I don't think these guys will ever be Marvin Gaye but I appreciate the reference. And I'm sure this makes much, much more sense if you're a British person in 1987. I have to believe Sonny was some politician in order to maintain my belief that these guys did not go down the classic boy band path of writing nonsense songs. I'm sure this means something. Maybe it's a reference to the song Sonny’s Lettah. There's kind of something there. It seems the internet doesn't understand this either.

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• 7 . Temptation This one's nice. Listen to them play that piano. Listen to them croon. Listen to those wet wet wets sing. And when they harmonize? Angelic. Not bad. I think this probably resonates more with people who aren't me- but I find it altogether pleasant! I like when they yell and layer their voices. So much optimism. If only we all lived with this much hope and encouragement for others and the future and whatnot. Glory be.

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• 8. I Can Give You Everything Is so much. It's just so much. It is noticeably funner than the album’s other songs. Not just crazy happy but danceable. It feels more human? He's so hornt and confident. It's vapid but in a pleasant way. You never believe he could actually give you everything but like, you believe in his spunk. It's some 1980s movie protagonist teenager shit. It's fun. I like this one. If I ever need to do a funky little dance as I run around excitedly after getting a date to the “prom” or whatever I will remember this one. Except that will never happen because I am a Grown Man.

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• 9. The Moment You Left Me is another one where mr. Vocals croons. Maybe you could slow dance to it. I think this entire album was made specifically to be blasted at middle-to-high-school dances. That sickly sweetness is back again. I think I'll walk away from this album with a toothache and canker sores. At least he refers to his lady love as his saviour. That's kinda fun. Putting that church-y reverence to good romantic use. I applaud. Sucks that she left you, man.

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• 10. Words Of Wisdom -thank fuck. The joy is back. Kind of. Nice beat, nice synth. Listen to that, it's plonky as hell! He does some crazy shit with his voice. It's agonized in that fun 1980s way. What a glorious world we live in. Did I mention that the guy does fun shit with his voice here? Because he does. Sometimes he goes kind of low and I completely lose track of what he's saying. Such is life! It's sad but it had to happen. It's worth it. For the good noises. He talks about castles I think?

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• 11. Don't Let Me Be Lonely Tonight features MORE FUCKING SAD MAN MUSIC. but this one has saxophones so it's a bit better. There's some alright stuff here. Leans more soul-ish. That's nice, that's always nice. It's not a bad song, it just… comes late in the album, I guess. By now, I'm sitting there going “hey, mr vocals! Get happy again! This is nice but just make a separate album at this point you clearly want to be two things at once!” And that's probably a bad opinion on my behalf but frankly I'm tired of his emotional turmoil at this point. It's a little majestic but mostly I just want it to be over.

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• 12. World In Another is a jaunty toe tapper. Listen to those men, they're finally actually snapping their fingers. This one isn't turmoil-free, but the synths and good sounds bring it back up to enjoyable to me. This guy has been in so many romantic situations. Poor guy. But now he's joyful again and shrieky again and just generally he wants you to like again please please please. It doesn't sound bad. I think there's a gong? Why?

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• 13. Wishing I Was Lucky (Live) still sounds good! It's the same song as the start just recorded live. I DO think these guys would be fun to see live. I know I seem a bit bitchy here but all music goes up like five places when seen live. It sounds like a live recording of that first one. And it sounds very good. I enjoy this maybe more than the original if only because the live recording is slightly (SLIGHTLY) less shiny than the studio version. Not a bad closer. Full circle!

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If you like this album, you might also like: ALL THAT JAZZ by BREATHE or PLAYGROUND by THE TRUTH